Family of detained American fearful of prison term

CINCINNATI (AP) — A friend of an American man accused of hostile acts in North Korea says the detainee's family is devastated by the situation and hoping for the best while preparing for the worst.

Jeffrey Edward Fowle, a 56-year-old Ohio father of three, arrived in North Korea on April 29. In June, North Korea's state media said authorities were investigating him for committing acts inconsistent with a tourist visit.

On Monday, the agency said investigations into Fowle and another American, Matthew Todd Miller, concluded that suspicions about their hostile acts have been confirmed by evidence and their testimonies.

The agency says the men will be tried in a court but released no other details.

Fowle family friend Sergei Luzginov (LOOZ'-guh-nov) says Fowle's family and friends are fearful of a long prison term.